Major: Other (This Major's Salary over time)I am a freshman graduate from Ringling and I can honestly say these negative reviews have had me laughing for quite some time. Yes, Ringling does over-accept. This doesn't mean they are out to get you specifically or that they want to fail you out, every college does this. If you did well in high school because you submitted your work on time (and you are also good at art to some degree) you will be completely fine. In my opinion the Perspective class (Drawing I & II) are not challenging to the point of failure if you are honestly trying your best.
Many people are bitter that Ringling does not wipe their butt for them. No; no art school will TEACH you to draw. You are expected to already be an artist in some way shape or form and you are here to improve. The Figure Drawing classes will make your work improve greatly by the time your done, I promise, but it doesn't TEACH you how to draw. You learn to draw through practice. If you're completely honest to yourself and say you are good enough to make art your career within four years of improvement in your field, then come to an art school. It is that simple.
It doesn't mean you have to be a master when you get here, it means you have to be able to have work that is already very good. If you are not passionate about art enough to be at least decent at it do not go to an art school. There are people in my major who graduated and I honestly wasn't very impressed with their work, so if you fail the first year here you are either lazy or not talented in art. It is not possible to shove enough art knowledge into your face within the first semester to make you a master at art. Art is complex. It takes years to improve greatly, not days. So think again if your plan is to start learning to draw when you get here.
Also, I genuinely feel safe on campus day and night. I know that there are some rougher areas nearby but honestly that area and the campus are like day & night. They are completely different from one another and certainly things DO happen, but if I were to make the decision to come here again I would not be deterred by the 1 or 2 petty crimes that have occurred during the entirety of the year. Honestly people are highly over-exaggerating, and I would too if I lost 50k because I thought art school was going to be easy.
The food on the other hand... I'll have to agree with that one. Brickman has some really good food but they only give you just enough. Hammonds has great breakfast but oftentimes their dinner selection is disappointing at best. Lunch is great because you can order a pressed sandwich which is always good and fresh. If they opened the deli for both lunch and dinner I would be impressed. Overall when you have the choice just don't sign up for the meal plan. If you have a car there's a Costco not too far from the school where you can buy food in bulk for cheap. Walmart is within walking distance as well but yes, it does close at 10pm.
As far as the teachers go I haven't been dissatisfied with a single one. I absolutely adored most of them actually. Art teachers are some of the most interesting and kindest of individuals. I've been thoroughly impressed by their experience and their passion for the courses. I was so happy with them and I've improved miles due to their positive critique. In my opinion, some of the bitter reviews are from those who cannot handle critique. Critiques are solely for the purpose of your improvement and you can't improve without an insult to your art here and there. It really isn't an insult actually, it's professional help and it's not personal at all. People take it personally when asked to improve something in there art. Yet, how does one expect to improve if they can't see their own errors? It is a huge part of getting better and some people aren't strong-willed enough to handle it.
As far as students, it's a mixed bunch. Just like life. If you are prepared to deal with people in the real world just like you will have to in the future (in a professional setting), you'll be fine. Yes there are a few oddballs but nothing that bad and in my opinion there aren't that many. Just don't be judgmental and befriend people regardless. Try your best not to get into disputes with people. The school is small so if someone is wise enough to tell Residence Life they could threaten your status at the school very easily. This includes drug/alcohol abuse. If you're caught by a student you may very well be caught by the school as well and there are consequences.
Also, if possible TAKE YOUR CAR. Having a car makes free time more fun and you can even drive 5 minutes to the beach just because you feel like it. It also makes you more approachable and more fun as a friend when you can offer rides to those who need it. People here are typically kind enough to pay you back in some form and it's all around just great to have a car even if you're a "loner". There is so much to do in Sarasota and the surrounding area is absolutely gorgeous. Art festivals occur here every weekend and you're right next to an aquarium, a beach, a marina, a city, a small zoo, a beautiful bridge to run on, and Puppytown (a pet store where you can pet all of the puppies). The list goes on and on. So to those who complain there's nothing to do, I don't know what else you could ask for. Make friends and/or bring a car.
Overall, if you believe that your art skills are good enough to make you a professional within just four years of improvement, go to an art school. If you want to live in a vacation spot while you're at it and want excellent teachers who have worked at Disney etc., choose Ringling.